Sat nav thief given suspended jail sentence

A prolific sat nav thief who admitted breaking into cars to steal on 12 separate occasions to pay for drugs was spared an immediate jail term.

Lithuanian Paulius Rumsevicus, aged 22, of Lodge Road in West Bromwich, was handed a 12-week sentence suspended for a year after he pleaded guilty to two thefts from motor vehicles, and asked for a further 10 similar matters to be taken into consideration.

He was not ordered to pay compensation to any of his victims, nor the prosecution costs as magistrates decided to give him "one last chance".

Warley Magistrates Court heard Rumsevicus stole a Tom Tom sat nav worth £50 on September 17 last year, belonging to Mr Gurjit Singh Dulay.

And on October 28 Rumsevicus stole a Tom Tom sat nav worth £300, belonging to Jacek Dziekanowski.

Miss Kelly Hale, prosecuting, said: "Mr Dulay parked his white Vauxhall on Herbert Street in West Bromwich and returned 15 minutes later to find his sat nav stolen from his glove box.

On October 28 the victim left his car on Victoria Street in West Bromwich and returned 25 minutes later to find his passenger window smashed and his sat nav stolen. The cost of the damage was unknown."

Miss Hale added Rumsevicus recently completed a 16-week sentence for theft from a motor vehicle and handling stolen goods. Mr Paul Selby, defending, said: "He wants to address his drug problems and find work. He has pleaded guilty at the first opportunity."

Sentencing, chairman of the bench Dave Walker, said: "We find these matters so serious only custody can be justified.But we will give you a suspended sentence for 12 months to give you one last chance."